The whole Internet community is reeling with the issue concerning Digital Rights Management (DRM) and user-generated online sites. As you all know, a software key that could break the encryption of HD-DVD format has been unleashed online and thousands of websites published the key.

DRM groups say the bloggers just crossed the line this time. The said key was published on Digg and needless to say, it was picked up by God knows how many websites. An executive from Advanced Access Content System (AACS) said that they are considering to confront those who published the exploit with "legal and technical tools."

The bloggers, on the other hand, commented that they are protected by the First Amendment. Digg management, for a time, removed the entries containing the key. However, the users posted an even more number of websites containing the exploit and Digg eventually acquiesce with its users. A part of Founder Kevin Rose's statement reads,

After seeing hundreds of stories and reading thousands of comments, you've made it clear. You'd rather see Digg go down fighting than bow down to a bigger company. We hear you, and effective immediately we won't delete stories or comments containing the code and will deal with whatever the consequences might be.

We will take whatever action is appropriate. We hope the public respects our position and complies with applicable laws. There has been a lot of misunderstanding. The key that has been leaked has now been revoked. This is the first round and will not be the last.